oprah: when the judds recently came on our show, they allowed our behind-the-scenes on a tour of their 1,000-acre >> can i have a hug? are you thing. >> is this a good time for me to >> let's not turn this into a mockery. >> wynonna's at a place where i you're starting to see your mother as a human being and not a glass out of your your water there. >> i'm 46 years old. >> and i think all of us go, "i >> [laughs] oprah: becky liscum is a senior field producer. where's beck?

>> franklin, tennessee. within other, and now since they've oprah: this is not working for reality show is just gonna be-- >> they're a walking reality >> they are a walking reality show. >> there you go. was interested in the dynamics is really the truth of human

on between them is what's going on between a lot of mothers and learn from that. ok. now i'd fearless leader in charge. i'm producer of this show, sheri salata, who's in the control up. salute you. sheri. amazing job. and just like all

here every day and one of the are our leader. thank you so harpo family. thank you for the greatest season of our lives. i we do that every day. thank you,

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welcome back, everybody. imagine moving into a brand new home that's not only cheap but

energy efficient as well. sounds like a pretty good deal. >> but what you're leaving out is the home is made completely of junk. they're called earth ships and they're the latest eco-friendly trend. vicki mabrey shows us how they work. >> give me a little more dirt. >> reporter: out in the desert near taos, new mexico, they're building houses -- >> you hear that dull, firm thud? >> reporter: -- out of garbage. >> this is the most common tire for around here. 235, r-75, 15. >> reporter: using old tires packed with dirt, trashed appliances and discarded bottles, architect mike reynolds is turning our trash into solar-powered, self-sustaining, energy-efficient homes. >> it's a machine. not a house. and it's a machine that involves biology and physics to make it so that people can not need the municipal utilities. >> reporter: these earth ships as he calls them are off the

grid wonders of physics. angled south to catch the sun's rays through solar panels on the roof -- >> you just have to orient it right and admit the sun in the winter because it's low. and block it in the summer because it's high. >> reporter: no heat or air conditioning required. earth ships hover at about 70 degrees year-round. >> the total utility bill of this house would be $100 a year to run the propane for the cook stove. and that's $100 per year total. power, water, sewage. >> reporter: they're also built with a lot of sweat equity. starting with those tires. pounded full of dirt until they're strong as bricks. and how many of these per house? how many tires per house? >> a thousand. i could not dream up a better way to build. if somebody gave me $30 million to invent the best building block, i'd invent a tire. >> reporter: then they're stacked high and cemented with desert mud and aluminum cans to form walls.

why the cans? >> the cans create an irregular surface to put the next coat on. >> are you lacking any creature comforts? >> we have flat screen tv. ac and dc power. hot and cold running water. it's all there. it's all there for free. >> reporter: what they are lacking is adequate rainfall. but every single drop is collected in 3,000-gallon cisterns on the roof. more recycled garbage crowns the roof line. >> washers, dryers, ranges, refrigerators. we harvest all those baked-on enamel panels. >> these are all your 1970s avocado refrigerators. >> exactly. >> there they are. >> reporter: that $100 a year utility bill is a huge selling point for earth ships, which cost from $100,000 to $400,000 to build. this house, called the phoenix, is the most expensive earth ship, at $1.5 million. it's the model reynolds shows visitors who flock here from around the world.

the thorne family drove for four days in an rv from upstate new york. >> amazing. >> look at the artwork. >> reporter: tonight they're staying in the phoenix. >> i want to bring this back to the east coast. >> reporter: inside, the floor plan is pretty standard. living room, bedrooms, kitchen and baths, and what looks like stained glass. it hasn't been easy creating something so strange and revolutionary. but earth ships are landing from new mexico to the netherlands. even providing a useful way to recycle rubble in earthquake-ravaged haiti. >> we're addressing the garbage issue. we're addressing the water issue. we're addressing the energy issue. we're addressing the heat and cooling. we're addressing housing. and we're addressing food. all of the things that people need, we're addressing them. >> reporter: one earth ship at a time. this is vicki mabrey in taos, new mexico.

>> that is a fascinating story. our producers brought up a very good point. who collects all the stuff it takes to build an earth ship? i can't see joe blow going out to a landfill -- >> i see who's collecting. we've got to get to work. we look like the ghostbusters, actually. a dual purpose. >> if this tv thing doesn't work out, we look good out there. >> you know what else i wondered, the smell. right? >> shouldn't they clean the stuff off? but hey, man, i don't know. i love the concept -- >> men at work, buddy. say that right now. >> hardest-working men overnight. >> getting done with this, we've got to collect some garbage. >> we'll see. i'll build a bar. coming up next, criticism aimed at the nfl over brett favre's punishment. >> and who put a stop to snooki's new year's eve stunt and why, next in "the skinny." l

welcome back, everybody. this definitely would be a water cooler topic around much of the country today.

finally, we talked about this for weeks, the whole brett favre situation. the nfl finally has done taken a step. they have fined the nfl quarterback $50,000 for simply failing to cooperate with the league's investigation into the scandal which involved those inappropriate texts and voice mails and photos, all that kind of stuff. they said at the end, though, they could not find any hard-core evidence that he violated the league's personal conduct policy based on the evidence that he had seen. he being the commissioner of the nfl. said look, there's just not enough here to say he definitely did this. $50,000 to him obviously is a happy meal to a normal person so the money's not the issue here. it's kind of the lack of any real substantive punishment, of course. it's all growing speculation whether brett will come back -- whether we've seen the end of his career -- >> i think he's pretty much done. >> it would seem like it. he doesn't like to bow out, i

know that. again, the lawyer for jenn sterger, the girl you saw who he allegedly texted and sent the picture to, says today's decision is an affront to all females and says again despite tough talk the nfl remains the good old boys' league. they're saying the league is kind of sexist for not coming down hard on brett favre. case closed as far as the nfl's concerned. >> bottom of the line for me, at the end of the day, roger goodell, the commissioner of the nfl, is getting a lot of heat for not acting on this sooner. this is 2 1/2 months in the making. a lot of other players have faced consequences for personal conduct issues. and that was the real story. the nfl has this conduct policy. whether or not you can put a black mark on the league. so anyway, a lot of people are angry with him. >> we'll see where it goes. something more relevant, though. >> something much more relevant. new year's eve tomorrow night. the big ball drop in times square here in new york. and snooki of "jersey shore" fame was planning to do her own -- >> not snooki the accountant. >> right, exactly. not to be confused. >> right, yeah. >> so, she wanted to be dropped in a glass ball in times square. that's fun. the new york times square alliance who runs the official

ball drop said, uh-uh, i don't think so. >> rained on the parade. >> they sort of slapped snooki with a condescending remark, it would not be appropriate, they said. >> this is tmz. >> crushed. >> tmz. it's not going to happen. >> my favorite "skinny" topic is kim kardashian. i had no idea about this. she is in the studio now trying to record a full studio album. >> of course she is. >> apparently working with kanye west on the new single from that album. it fuels the rumors they're together and all this, who knows. kim is in the studio. we're going to hear her singing chops soon enough. on top of all that the family empire's going to expand now. now her sister khloe, the most outspoken of the three girls. she and her nba husband, lamar odom, they're going to get their own reality show on. to original show and the spin-off. the kardashian empire just continues to expand here. >> tell you what, kim was very successful with her first video that we saw. so maybe her next video will be -- >> that was definitely an on.ar-winning performance. to original show and the spin-off. the kardashian empire just continues to expand here. >> tell you what, kim was very successful with her first video that we saw. so maybe her next video will be --

>> that was definitely an oscar-winning performance. if your racing thoughts keep you awake...

sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com.

sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. here are some of the stories to watch today on abc news. alaskan election officials say they will certify lisa murkowski as winner of that state's senate race. murkowski won re-election in a historic write-in campaign. her tea party challenger joe miller says he'll decide tomorrow if he'll continue his legal challenge. new york's mayor promises all the streets will be plowed later this morning. of course following sunday's big blizzard, that's a big task. also in new york, transit fares went up at midnight during a week of widespread service complaints. and the latest report on unemployment claims is released this morning. analysts tell the "wall street journal" they predict a slight drop in the number of layoffs. and finally this half hour, new dads of course love capturing that magic moment in the delivery room, the very moment that a son or daughter is literally welcomed into the

world. >> some hospitals are putting an end to that tradition. and it's upsetting many parents. here's john donvan. >> reporter: the shiplers of maryland have put it all on videotape for all of their kids. snapshots too. with another baby coming january 13, their hospital just told them -- >> that we can't take that picture. we can't have those first initial seconds. >> reporter: it's true. hagerstown, maryland, meritus medical center. new rule. no photography until five minutes after birth. a change a spokesperson says is intended to protect patient privacy and reduce potential staff distractions. a turn back of the block for meritus. not quite to the "i love lucy" waiting room era where fathers were banned from even seeing what goes on. though dads have been participating since the early 1980s today limits on photography exist in hospitals across the nation. sure, from the staff's point of view who wants a lens on what can be a delicate and critical procedure?

in bad weather does an air traffic controller want passengers' families shooting over his shoulder? no. but some malpractice lawyers think the real issue is liability. if something goes wrong, hospitals don't want -- >> a piece of evidence generated used against them in a court of law. they do it to hide the truth. >> it's a beautiful moment i want to capture. >> reporter: yes, it can be. as we saw when many viewers today shared their kids' birth photos with us. in hagerstown, maryland, the rule stands. no cameras in the first minutes, meaning the only way to remember will be -- to remember. john donvan, abc news, washington. >> that's a tough debate. i understand that there's a -- look, this is a moment i want to capture, i'm a parent bringing life into the world. the other side of it is these are professionals at work delivering the baby and there's some things they don't want shown. >> i don't know. creating a life, delivering a life. i think you create a baby, you want to share that experience.

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pointing fingers. deadly problems in new york after sunday night's blizzard. the anger directed at city hall. airline anger. with profits taking off, where's the customer service during a crisis? and, mobile microbes. the dangers hiding in your cell phone. >> you share these devices, you share germs. >> it's thursday, december 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> those germ stories always tend to freak me out. you really don't want to know what's on a cell phone. >> you're going to carry your phone like this anymore. >> that's right, you know? >> wait till you find out how bad it is. it's pretty shocking. >> how dirty, nasty the human race -- >> pretty much. >> good morning, everybody, i'm

rob nelson. >> i'm mike marusarz sitting in for vinita nair. new york and new jersey top officials now under fire because of the response to sunday's blizzard. >> there is outrage over unplowed streets and also now claims that delays in emergency response proved deadly. t.j. winick reports. >> reporter: after the blizzard of 2010 moved out, frustration has settled in. >> it is terrible. absolutely terrible. >> reporter: tempers up and down the east coast, especially in new york city, are boiling over. over this. this. and this. unplowed streets. >> we need an answer. where the hell are the plows? >> reporter: two feet of snow in some neighborhoods has brought the city that never sleeps to a standstill. >> mayor, wear my shoes. wear my shoes and try to walk down here, do my job. >> reporter: one explanation from city leaders? private tow trucks and plow operators were on vacation this holiday weekend. >> we did not do as good a job as we wanted to do, or as the city has a right to expect. >> reporter: the "new york

times" blog compared mayor bloomberg's cleared street in manhattan, to this one in brooklyn. the brooklyn borough president labeled the city's response a colossal failure. >> move out equipment from manhattan, move it out of manhattan into brooklyn. every available vehicle you got. >> reporter: in parts of neighboring new jersey, things aren't much better. all the while, governor chris christie, a rising star in the republican party, is vacationing at disney world with his family. maybe the only politician to come out on top after this storm is newark mayor corey booker. who spent the day responding to tweets from stranded residents and personally helping shovel sidewalks and digging out cars. it appears the unplowed streets have some tragic consequences. in one instance, a baby delivered in a brooklyn apartment building on monday morning died after emts could not reach that building for nine hours. t.j. winick, abc news, new york. thousands of airline passengers are still caught up in a travel nightmare days after the blizzard.

airlines canceled about 10,000 flights since saturday. passengers are warned it could be saturday before things return to normal. one group of passengers trying to fly from new york to cleveland say they had nine flights canceled and waited in line a total of 11 hours. >> unbelievable. of course, passengers are outraged because they're getting little customer service during all this crisis. and with airlines now making record profits, abc's dan harris went looking for some answers. >> reporter: jet blue made $148 million in profits in the third quarter of this year. more than twice what it made last year. and yet, when we tried to call the customer service line, we got this message -- >> this call will end now but we look forward to helping you as soon as we can. >> they just hung up. >> reporter: continental airlines made $412 million in profits in the third quarter, up nearly ten-fold. and here's what we heard when we called -- >> we apologize for the inconvenience and thanks for calling continental, good-bye. >> reporter: we were able to get

through to the other major airlines. but at least one customer service rep admitted we got lucky. >> so me reaching you in ten minutes is good? >> reporter: this travel morass comes at a time when the major carriers are seeing soaring profits because of higher prices -- many raised prices by 20 bucks just this week -- and new fees on everything from checked luggage to booking a ticket over the phone to pillows and blankets. making matters worse, the airlines are offering fewer flights these days, and they've cut their workforce by more than 150,000 people over the last 10 years, leaving fewer actual humans to man the phones. during a crisis like this one, kiosks and websites often do not cut it. >> the temperatures for the blizzard may have been freezing but customer service at the airlines has melted down. >> reporter: we tried to call the spokespeople for many major airlines. is there anybody we could interview there about customer service issues related to the storm? nobody would talk to us

on-camera. off-camera, airline officials told us they know they've had a rough couple of days but they say they are now employing "extreme measures" to help everybody who needs it. dan harris, abc news, new york. federal investigators are looking into an accident on a snowy wyoming runway this morning. american airlines jet from chicago was landing in jackson when it slid more than 600 feet past the runway. 181 people were on board but nobody was hurt. the plane was not damaged. but the airport was closed so crews could move the jet out of the deep snow. shifting gears now, california is cleaning up after its second fierce pacific storm in two weeks. in the south, homeowners in the hills are bracing for more mud slides after heavy rain fell on the already saturated ground there. bulldozers are out clearing the streets. in the north, gusty winds knocked over a tree, killing a camper near santa rosa. throughout the state, highways have been closed by both fallen trees and by flooding.

here's a look at today's forecast. the rain and snow has ended along the west coast but that front now delivers a major winter blast to large parts of the rockies. freezing rain in minnesota and a band of rain from louisiana up through the ohio valley. fair, finally, along the east coast. >> a mild 40 in new york helping to melt all that snow here. 52 in atlanta. 61 in kansas city. 25 in colorado springs. 34 in seattle. two bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a michigan furniture store after an all-day search. investigators believe it was a natural gas explosion that leveled that store. the owner was pulled from the rubble and is in serious condition. two employees died in the blast. a state of emergency was even declared and nearby homes and businesses were evacuated. two sisters are being freed from their life prison sentence in mississippi thanks to an unusual transplant agreement. gladys scott's release is contingent on her donating a kidney to jamie, her 38-year-old sister, who requires daily dialysis. protesters have been pushing for

the sisters' release from prison for quite a while now. the women were sentenced to life after an armed robbery that netted them just 11 bucks. the blogosphere is having a field day with this one. a pastor in dallas is accused of burglarizing her church member's home on christmas eve. as ryan owens reports, the minister claims things aren't quite what they seem. >> reporter: on the night before christmas, there was a creature stirring in this dallas house. and police say it was pastor sandy mcgriff. detectives say the 52-year-old broke into the home of a member of her own church. >> i'm not a burglar. >> reporter: police have charged her with stealing $10,000 worth of fur coats, purses and a laptop. and with resisting arrest. >> my biggest mistake was going through the window. >> she stepped up here and she went inside the house. >> reporter: a neighbor spotted the pastor breaking a window and then allegedly taking the loot out to her car.

but pastor mcgriff tells a very different story. she says she was in the neighborhood to pick up a peach cobbler when something told her to go by that house. she says she spotted what looked like two burglars nearby, so she broke into the home to protect the woman's belongings in case those men came back. >> i went to the bedroom, i got the laptop. on the way out the coats were right there. and i just grabbed everything at once. >> reporter: the pastor made her unusual defense surrounded by nine fur coats. she says to prove she didn't need to steal anybody's. it turns out sandy mcgriff has more than a dozen aliases and a criminal record that includes a prostitution conviction from the 1970s. her tiny chapel is located in the back of her husband's furniture store. and after spending most of christmas day behind bars, she posted bail and was back preaching in time for sunday service. ryan owens, abc news.

>> i'd have to pray on that story. well, there is a cheetah baby boom in washington, d.c. >> that's right. two of the national zoo's big cats gave birth this month to cubs. in the wild, cheetahs that give birth to a single cub usually let them die. so the zookeepers didn't want that to happen so they bottle-fed the first cub then placed it with the second mother. >> and it worked. both cubs are now nursing. cubs who are raised by cheetahs are far more likely to breed later when they're adults than those raised by humans. >> makes sense there. >> just a little factoid this thursday morning. more "world news now" right after this. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made. when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too.

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these days, phones are everywhere. we know that. in fact, 295 million americans carry one. that's more than 50% of us. >> consider this. there are as many as 25,000 germs per square inch on the average cell phone. during flu season, that is not a good thing. here's elisabeth leamy with more. >> reporter: the fact that cell phones contain lots of germ cells hasn't made much of an impression on the public. had you ever really thought about germs on your phone? >> never. >> no, never came to mind. >> i'm not a germophobe. >> okay, all right. you may be about to become one. >> oh. >> reporter: we traveled to sunny arizona to see what we would find on the phones of arizona state students. >> what does the "x" mean? >> that i'm going to die. >> "x" is over an acceptable limit. >> reporter: using a handheld testing device, environmental science researcher sherry

carlino was able to instantly tell people how much bacteria was on their cell phones. anything over 100 got an "x" for unacceptable. people who pay attention to phone cleanliness did better, with scores like 83. 59. >> do you ever sanitize it or anything? >> i do, actually. >> reporter: and our lowest, 41. >> good to go. >> reporter: they're the lucky ones. because researchers have found the flu virus, staph infections, mrsa, and more on mobile phones. and since so many people handle their phones while they're eating, those germs have a direct path into our bodies. >> yummy! >> i know, delicious, right? >> reporter: young people are at particular risk, because their phones are their constant companions. extensions of their hands. >> we're in the mobile generation. and germs have adapted to that as a mechanism of being transmitted that way. you share these devices, you share germs. >> reporter: more than half of the phones we tested had unacceptable levels of germs.

and then we tested caylen broussard's phone. >> 442. >> reporter: it was our worst. a reading of 442 means her phone contains something like 100,000 bacteria. >> that's really embarrassing. >> reporter: no need to be embarrassed. because last, we tested my phone. >> i think you're being particularly thorough. >> i am not. >> reporter: these old flip phones tend to trap bacteria more than a flat smart screen. my readout? 170. i feel like i should interview myself now. miss leamy, what do you think of all the germs on your phone? oh my gosh, i can't believe it, i thought i was so clean! some companies plan to sell anti-microbial coatings for phones and cases. there are simpler solutions. for example, take a little rubbing alcohol and wipe down your phone. if you're using some hand sanitizer, when your hands are

damp, not wet, you can rub them over your phone. and don't share phones. if somebody tries to hand you their phone to look at pictures or something, don't do it. try to get out of it. not a great idea. back to you guys. >> oh my gosh. >> elisabeth leamy reporting on that. >> give me this. >> dig into that. >> you don't realize, everyday stuff you use so is filthy. >> the other problem is a lot of people have these cases on their blackberries or iphones. i can only imagine what's back in here. you know what i mean? >> you don't want to know. is that a rat? >> could be, here in new york. cell phones typically harbor, get this, more than an office desk, more germs than an office desk, a keyboard from a computer, and more than a toilet seat. >> really. listen to this too. they say about one-third of those germs, you pick up a phone that's dirty, transfers to your hands. touch your face or you eat. word to the wise, clean those phones. we'll be right back with more right after this.

this year we said good-bye to some of the great people who left their mark on the world. they were actors, singers and of course sports icons. >> also authors, journalists and many others who literally helped shape the world. they all of course will be missed. here's a look now at the people we lost in 2010. >> of course you're nervous. this is part of my job. i'm your supply officer. >> captain? how soon can you land? >> i can't tell. >> you can tell me, i'm a doctor. >> no, i mean i'm just not sure. >> he exists now only in my memory.

>> put me in, i'll never come back, i swear. let me play today. let me in. >> i mean, you can see it's a man's hat. >> my readers don't see anything wrong in ladies taking their clothes off. >> you know, ward, i hope wally doesn't start getting serious about girls. >> he's come a long, long way. >> he was buying a shirt in bloomingdales and he fell in love. >> why is war being dealt with not as a last resort but as a first resort? >> my motto has been here, to hell with politics, just do

what's right for alaska. >> winning's important to me. it's second, second to breathing. breathing's first, winning's second. >> you may be a lot of things alexis, but one thing you are not is stupid. >> i do believe love has found andy hardy. >> i like to think that it's -- that my films have a little more than just slapstick. >> no, maybe the best thing to do is not to try to figure it all out. >> he's vindictive as hell, henry. kills for pride. >> accomplish what i need to accomplish. >> and then before you know it, they've taken you over, body and soul.

>> i thank you for your confidence in offering me this daunting assignment. >> i've been having a very good time and there wasn't a man in the room. >> broken down gelding. >> as of now i am in control here in the white house. >> what does she do for fun? >> she doesn't have any fun. >> what you talking about, willis? >> i think it's going to be a very pretty day. ha ha ha! >> i want to spend the remainder of my days living, whatever description that is. >> they say that all good things must end. if your racing thoughts keep you awake...

sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com.

sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> welcome back, everybody. i kind of call it a point of personal privilege this morning on the "morning papers." i got sad news as i got home yesterday. as you know, i lived in new orleans before i came here. >> a long time, right? >> ten years, three at this station. a former colleague of mine at the tv station in new orleans, susan edwards, passed away wednesday morning. just 34 years old. for more than a year had been battling liver cancer that eventually spread to her lungs. through it all, she really was just -- approached the whole ordeal with such grace and optimism and sense of humor, and really was just so sad to know she finally went yesterday. it was a brave and very heartfelt fight. she loved life and loved the city.

she was a native of alabama. she'll be buried friday in her home state of alabama. folks can make donations if they're interested at a capital one bank or to the american cancer society. but i just wanted -- i brought that out because this time of year folks are wrapped up in returning their christmas gifts and new year's plans and plow my street and all that. i think stories like this tend to put life in a little perspective. we are here for a limited number of days. life is short, tragically short for some like susan. you fought a good fight, susan. we miss you, we respect you. you're out of pain, and rest in peace. >> only 34. >> only 34, and only child. her dad died less than two years ago. >> oh my gosh. >> it's just a sad story all the way around. so godspeed, susan. that's not our typical "morning paper." we will lighten the mood a little bit here. >> let's talk about some of the stories that new yorkers were talking about this year. there was a list that came out

with 110 things. we're going to talk about the top five. and right out of the gate, who could forget but the bedbugs. >> oh, yeah. they were infesting every place here. the movie theaters, the stores, they're all over the place. that was huge in 2010. next, a familiar face from the past. the blast from the past, familiar for more reasons -- >> the blast from the past of broadway. that's right. he's back in a theater, this time onstage. he's doing a show -- >> he's back in theaters. >> that's what i said. exactly. this time people are paying tickets to see him. so, you know. he's on the rebound, right? larry king said farewell. so obviously the icon of cnn -- >> classy. classy exit, really. >> good stuff. the fourth one was the best campaign slogan of 2010, of course, from christine o'donnell. "i am not a witch." >> a classic of the campaign season, yes. >> and the number five was ricky martin. >> really? >> ricky martin said he was gay. he came out of the closet. >> oh, really. that was among the top five? in new york? >> people are talking about that.

>> people are talking about that. >> it is the end of the year, íl today, we gather to recognize the selfless decision of one of the most influential women of our time. the woman who, after having one too many drinks, chose not to drive home buzzed. here today to honor rachel is the family whose lives she spared.

killer storm. another direct hit for california and the cleanup from the last storm is far from over. lingering danger in new york. the anger and despair over unplowed streets. >> this was a royal screw-up. >> conditions that cost lives. and, cinema cowboy. jeff bridges talks about his successful starring role. it's thursday, december 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> we both saw "true grit" and loved it. it really was a good movie. jeff bridges is great in it. he's totally believable. the remake of the john wayne classic. he's funny, he's good. >> tough with remakes. sometimes they're not as good. i think this one was terrific. unfortunately jeff bridges was not recognized for the golden globes.

>> i thought he would, yeah. >> sort of interesting. he won the oscar last year for a different role. we'll see. we'll see what the oscars have in store for him this year. >> it's true. good morning and thanks for being with us. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm mike marusarz in for vinita nair this morning. the wrath of mother nature has switched back to the west coast, and this newest round of fierce weather has turned deadly. >> heavy rain has left hillsides dangerously saturated, roads closed, and thousands without power. mike von fremd reports from a soggy highland, california. >> reporter: it is a furious effort to pile more sandbags as residents watch the water rising into their homes for the second time in two weeks. >> i had about 2 1/2, 3 feet of mud come through the back door into the house. >> reporter: california inmates assigned to help with the disaster almost have leslie best's living room cleaned out. but the kitchen is still a mud pit. this is pretty rough as far as sinking in. with this fresh storm, there are fresh fears that these hills could give way again.

bulldozers cleaning the streets now leave a wake of water behind them. the storm brought wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour. knocking over this oak tree that instantly killed gail falco, camping in her tent north of san francisco. her 7-year-old granddaughter next to her survived. throughout the state, california highways have been closed due to downed trees and flooding. 1,500 homes near hollywood are without power. in riverside county, animal services rescued this horse that was trapped in a mud hole. back here in highland, in the middle of the storm, 78-year-old bob best is still digging out his daughter's home. >> doing that with a broken rib. >> don't tell my doctor. >> reporter: sonia martin is getting sandbags from her county but it's up to her to defend her home against any new mud. >> they came over with sandbags. they're not going to help us put them around the house where we really need them. >> reporter: it is almost more

than californians can bear. the forecast calls for a chance of more rain on saturday. mike von fremd, abc news, highland, california. >> and that storm front is now battering new mexico to the east. road crews are working around the clock to stay ahead of the heavy snowfall. but this morning's commute in some parts of the state will be a tough one. the national weather service is predicting blizzard conditions today for western and northwestern new mexico. temperatures only in the teens. >> old man winter won't let up. the ntsb is now investigating a runway accident at wyoming's jackson hole airport. an american airlines jet from chicago slid more than 600 feet past the runway as it landed. 181 people were on board at the time. thankfully, though, no one was hurt. the pilot reportedly told passengers the jet's brakes had failed. the airport was closed while that jet was pushed out of the deep snow there. here's a look at your weather for today.

heavy snow across the rockies and arizona, up through montana. denver gets its first major snow storm of the season while the dakotas and northern minnesota get half a foot. rain from the gulf up through the ohio valley. >> meanwhile, an arctic blast in the northern rockies. 4 degrees in billings. a much warmer 16 in fargo. the east coast warms up into the 40s. the warmest spots in the country are dallas at 71. new orleans 74. miami hits 76. anger is boiling over among airline travelers who have been stranded for days trying to get information from customer service. passengers trying to rebook their flights after sunday's northeast blizzard were either put on hold for hours, or told to just call back later. major u.s. airlines have now canceled nearly 10,000 flights across the country since saturday. >> it could have been other things that could be done

instead of keeping you waiting. >> been extremely frustrating, chaotic, and headache-inducing to travel during christmas this year. >> airlines have drastically cut back on the number of reservation agents. continental has cut one-third of its call center staff this year. that means there are 600 fewer workers at continental answering the phones. the slow pace of recovery from the blizzard has angered many folks here in new york. the city's usually take-charge mayor is now admitting mistakes were in fact made, especially when it came to emergency medical response. linsey davis has that story. >> reporter: the massive snowfall put new york's emergency response to the test. for too many, like linda noel, it failed. do you think that had the roads been plowed it would have saved your dad's life? >> could have. you know. i don't know. but he wasn't given a fighting chance. >> reporter: linda says her father became violently ill. she started calling 911 at the height of the blizzard and initially couldn't get through on the phones. then it took ems two hours to get through the snow-covered streets. >> they kept saying, we can only help him if we get him to a hospital, we need to do that. so we said, why not?

we can't because the snow, we can't get out to him. >> reporter: her father passed away at 1:00 in the morning monday. snow prevented anyone from picking up the body until 4:00 a.m. tuesday. 27 hours later. new york's mayor is on the defensive. >> we take our emergency life-saving responsibilities very seriously, and i'm extremely dissatisfied with the way our emergency response systems performed. >> reporter: a response to growing anger with the city's slow response. >> this was a royal screw-up, to use the current terms. >> reporter: several 911 calls came from a woman in labor on this street in brooklyn. police cars couldn't make it down the street. the baby didn't survive. there were a few miracles. joan pierre mann struggled to make it to the hospital, but in the end the baby moved faster than the car. her husband navigated through the snow while she delivered the baby in the passenger seat. we are happy to report that they are bringing their newborn home from the hospital.

but sadly, for so many others, this blizzard has not had such a happy ending. linsey davis, abc news, brooklyn, new york. well, new yorkers may be angry, people in wilmington, north carolina, are cashing in. it's all because of the snow. a jewelry store owner promised if it snowed more than 3 inches in asheville on christmas, he would refund all his store's purchases made the two weeks after thanksgiving. asheville got 6 inches of snow in the christmas holiday. so people who waited until right before christmas are now out of luck, at least for now. >> we've had, oh, hundreds come in, 22nd, 23rd of december, can we get in on the weather promotion? no, it stopped on december 11th so they couldn't get in. they were all wishing they could get into it. of course everybody wants to be

in after the fact. so we're going to see if we can do a second chance promotion for valentine's day. >> that is about when refund checks will be ready. the promotion costs carry about $400,000 but the insurance policy he took out for the deal cost less than one-tenth of that, so everybody wins. the jeweler, alan perry, will be on "good morning america" coming up later this morning. >> that's a brave bet he took. germany's also dealing with a particularly cold and icy winter but that is not stopping a new tradition in munich. >> surfing on one of the city's rivers, growing in popularity. it started there about 30 years ago. the culture is so unusual, it's the topic of a documentary film. >> these professional surfers say the sea, just too far away. besides, on the river they can ride the wave for ages and ages. >> you've got to be talented to do that in close quarters like that. >> that's impressive. i can't even doggie paddle. those guys are good. we'll be right back with more "world news now" after this. if your racing thoughts keep you awake...

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yesterday we told you about

the michigan man who now faces a jail sentence after he hacked into his own wife's e-mail account. >> that's right. so now a lot of couples are talking about their privacy and where exactly to draw the line. john hendren has more from washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and mike. if you were to log in to a co-worker's e-mail you would probably know you might well get into trouble for that. this case tests whether being married makes any difference. leon walker has launched an uncomfortable national conversation. >> if you look at the letter of the law, he has committed a crime here. >> reporter: the michigan man could now face prison time for reading his wife's e-mail. >> i definitely felt it was okay to confirm that by reading her e-mail, in our home. >> reporter: prosecutors disagreed, charging walker with a felony count of hacking. even in a shared computer, password-protected e-mail accounts are private by federal

law, unless the user allows access. it's a case that's triggered talks at dinner tables across the nation with couples asking each other, would you peek? >> yeah, but i think i would tell her first. >> i'd probably tell him also. i don't know, before or after. >> reporter: sure, but they're newlyweds. other couples disagree. >> no. >> i mean -- once in a while. if his phone vibrates on the table, i might take a peek. >> really? >> to be helpful. >> reporter: it's a legal marital minefield. play up the fact that the walkers already had a divorce case pending. legal analysts say if walker goes to jail for snooping he probably won't be alone for long. >> if this jury convicts this guy, i bet you we see more of this to come. >> reporter: that could make those dinner table talks more uncomfortable than ever. >> it's outrageous. it's insane. >> reporter: legal experts say you could compare this to

opening a spouse's regular mail. but there are still open questions. what if they weren't married? what if they were just living together? the answers are unclear. rob and mike? >> and i brought up too, wonder if you share an e-mail with somebody, obviously she's saying that wasn't the case. as john mentioned, the divorce apparently was already known between them. it was under way. it's going to raise some questions. >> interesting tidbit here. i didn't know this. the wife's lover was the second of her two former husbands. she kind of went back to an old well so to speak. interesting case here. i think most people would snoop if they had the chance. no one would admit it but i think most people would. >> did you find that information out by looking at her e-mail? >> i have no comment. coming up, he won an oscar for playing a drunken country singer. >> now jeff bridges puts on his cowboy hat for another very memorable role. we'll be right back.

this year jeff bridges took home the oscar gold for his performance in "crazy heart." he's hoping to make it back to back wins with his film "true grit." >> peter travers host of abc news now's "popcorn" sat down

with the dude to talk about his latest movie. >> this is jeff bridges. you're playing rooster cogburn. got to bring it up. they made this movie in 1969 with the duke. >> that's right. >> you, the dude, playing the duke's role that won him the academy award. >> yeah. >> what happens when they come to you with that part that was played by this icon of the western? >> yeah. >> what do you say? are you guys nuts? >> yeah, something like that. my version of that. why? you know. why do you want to do this? why do you want to remake this film? and they say, that's not what we're doing. we are making this book by charles portis as if there had been no film made. so i jumped on board, another chance to work with the coen brothers. they're the best. >> and yet it makes me laugh a little bit when i see everybody say, well, this is jeff bridges and the coen brothers back doing your kind of family viewing for the holidays.

that this is what this "true grit" is. >> yes, it is. >> they want to make a family about people who are just murdering people on a daily basis. but who speak in a kind of formal language. which makes it all seem okay. >> there are plenty of guns going off. >> that's right. >> it is. >> it's probably how people were schooled back in those days. using the bible. you don't have too many contractions. >> no. i rarely see a movie without contractions. they just don't happen anymore. in the formality, in who rooster is, i describe him -- there's a great line where he says after you accuse him and say you're going to kill him or have him hanged. at judge parker's convenience. >> yeah. >> yeah. bold talk for a one-eyed man. >> yeah, yeah, right. >> so you get that challenge of doing that. the eye patch i notice you wear on a different eye. that was a nice little -- >> yeah, a lot of people make a lot of -- i don't know what. just a matter of putting the

patch on different eyes and trying to figure out, you know, which one it went. my first impulse was that eye. and i tried it. i always try to do the thing that feels unnatural to me. asked everyone's opinion. they say, do what you want, doesn't matter. ended up on the right eye. >> now you've done "true grit." before you'd done this little thing called "the big lebowski" which you can't walk on the street where someone doesn't say -- >> dude. >> dude. >> any of that stuff. >> that's it. >> and when i asked those brothers, what is their secret

with actors, they said, we hardly ever talk to them. >> that's right. >> that's basically -- >> that's it. yeah. i think so. so much of making movies is casting. not only the actors, but also the crew. now, the coen brothers have circled themselves with this wonderful family of artists. you know, roger deacon's probably the best cinematographer in the world. shot "true grit" and "big lebowski" and a dozen other their films. even of the department heads are like that. guys they respect, they like their attention to detail, what they come up with. so they hire those guys. and let them rip. and if there's one little tweak here, you know, you carry out the thing. but it's a very gentle way of going about it. i really love that style of directing. >> it's always the last thing i

ask. it's always musical. it's always song. do we bring jeff's guitar? you brought a guitar. >> here is a steven bruton tune, "you ain't seen nothing yet." ♪ ♪ i don't look at the past much anymore ♪ >> we really liked it. the little girl kind of stole the show a little bit. jeff is really, really good in this movie. it's got a lot of oscar buzz. he did not get a golden globe nomination. that surprised a lot of folks. >> it's a crowded field.

a lot of great movies, a lot of great performances. i thought it was a good movie. the little girl in the movie, i think she's 12 or 13, was really, really fabulous. imagine 12 and 13 going with matt damon and jeff bridges. around his house. these people chose freedom over restrictions. independence over limitations. they chose mobility. they chosehe scooter store. and this is the team of mobility experts who made it all happen. ii great news, you've been approved for payment. dr. cruz, i'm calling on behalf ofmarie stanford. and they can make it happen for you. hi, i'm doug harrison, if you're living with limited mobility, call the scooter store today. i promise, no other company will work harder to make you mobile or do more to ensure your total satisfaction. i expected they'd help me file some paperwork with medicare and my insurance. i never expected them to be so nice or work so hard to get me a power chair at no cost to me.

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sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. a little dance for the reading time. >> you've got to read, man. >> all right. finally, i like to think we're pretty generous guys. >> i would think so. >> this next story puts us to shame. >> it really does. it's about a 9-year-old little girl. she has raised more than 15,000 bucks for sick children this year and she doesn't plan on slowing down. david muir caught up with this very young do-gooder. >> so katie, you're just 9 years old, right? >> yes, i'm 9 years old and i raise money for children in the

hospital. >> i know that, and this is an incredible story. you started when you were just? >> 6 years old. >> what made you start back when you were 6? >> i was in a store and i picked up this toy and then all of a sudden i had this idea. and so it's just gone off. and i think i've done a real good job with it. >> i've done a little research. i've been tracking your numbers year to year. it's really quite impressive. can you tell me how much you raised that first year you had this idea, and then what you've seen since? >> $162, less than two weeks. and then this year, i raised $15,708. >> $15,708? >> goal was $15,000. >> you beat your goal? >> yeah. >> why have you been such a success story, do you think? i think when you approach people with your story they can't help but to join the effort, can they?

>> right. well, first of all i'm really hard to turn down. second of all, they just see that there's a girl trying to help the community, and they think that that's a really good thing to do. >> is there a moment that sticks out in your mind about a visit to the hospital? >> we did get to see a child this year, his name is kevin, and he loves crafts, and he loves a very special movie. so we got him a best buy gift card and then an amazon gift card so he can go online and have the stuff shipped to his room. >> so we dedicate this conversation to kevin, right? >> yes. >> and all the kids that i'm sure you're going to help in the year ahead. you're setting an example to all of us who are much older than you. >> thank you. >> incredible little girl there. >> she is. >> model for kids everywhere. that is the news for this half hour. of course, remember to follow us on facebook. we're getting close to our big old 25,000. we're just a few hundred away. @ñ

muddy misery in california. >> been hard. we can't sleep. don't have time to eat. it's just -- one thing after another, you know. >> the damage from more downpours and deadly flooding. airport anxiety. unthinkable travel delays and costly solutions to passengers' hassles. and, trashy homes. finding building materials in landfills. it's thursday, december 30th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> so apparently a lot of people like to build their homes with maybe brick or mortar or wood. how about something else? interesting. >> in the green era of life now. different choices out there to say the least. >> find out if it's really helping the environment, coming up. good morning, everyone.

i'm mike marusarz sitting in for vinita nair. >> i'm rob nelson. to the news now. california, they can't catch a break out there. for the second time in two weeks the state is recoiling from powerful winds and historic rains. >> in the north they are mourning the death of a camper. in the south they are bracing for more mudslides and flooding. this winter is surely shaping up to be terror. here's john hendren. >> reporter: the western winter arrived with a vengeance. battering california with wind, rain and snow. >> it's been hard. we can't sleep. we're having a hard time to eat. it's just one thing after another right now, you know. >> reporter: in the southern california city of highland, they're still digging out their cars and homes from last week's storm, and here comes the next. >> we have done everything we can. we've provided every safety measure we can. but we can't control mother nature and we saw her wrath last week. >> reporter: the last rains triggered mudslides, overwhelming drains, flooding homes with mounds of ooze. 100,000 sandbags now stand between those homes and a second

deluge of mud. >> we're going to be here digging our hearts out today. >> reporter: in northern california, storms turned deadly. at an exotic animal preserve, near santa rosa, high winds and rain toppled a tree onto a cabin, killing an alabama woman. north of san francisco, residents are preparing for possible flooding and blackouts. >> it's truly dangerous, this is scary. >> reporter: near sacramento, deer creek overflowed its banks. filled by rain, now turning the golden state green. in jackson hole, wyoming, a plane rolled past the end of a snowy runway. there were no injuries. >> at that point, snow came over the wing. i was sitting on the window seat. and we came to a stop very soon thereafter. >> reporter: the search goes on for a 25-year-old snowboarder in sierra nevada who went missing from his friends at the alpine meadow ski resort. that search is being hampered by blizzard conditions. john hendren, abc news. here's a look at today's weather. that fierce western storm system

now moving east with blizzard warnings in parts of five states today, from arizona through wyoming. meanwhile, denver can expect its first major storm of the season. the east coast finally gets a reprieve from all this winter weather. >> a much-needed one. a meltdown in the northeast with 44 in baltimore, 41 in boston, minneapolis dips to 38 with some freezing rain there. sacramento with 51. l.a. just 59. there is a growing backlash here in new york over the city's slow response to sunday's blizzard. case in point, the emergency response center was overwhelmed with nearly 50,000 calls the day after the blizzard. that's when ambulances got stuck in the snow. this morning, some city streets are still blocked with snow, drawing an angry response from this u.p.s. driver. >> mayor, wear my shoes. wear my shoes and try and walk down here, do my job. >> we did not do as good a job as we wanted to do or as the city has a right to expect. >> the city sanitation commissioner is promising that

all the city streets will be cleared of snow this morning. >> we'll see. thousands of travelers are still stranded far from their destinations this morning. days after the blizzard. some would-be passengers could end up welcoming in the new year right there in the airport. as chris bury reports, there is now growing concern over how the airlines are responding to the ongoing crisis. >> reporter: the unthinkable happened again. passengers stuck overnight on the tarmac at new york's kennedy airport. this time, at least four international flights unable to find open gates, passengers trapped within sight of the terminal for up to nine hours. >> i feel like there could have been all these things that could be done instead of keeping you waiting. >> reporter: we caught up with frustrated flyers. >> what do you think her answer was? all sold out. >> i bet. >> reporter: could they finally find flights? >> it's been extremely frustrating, chaotic, and headache-inducing to travel during christmas this year. >> reporter: we found melissa stranded at o'hare, trying to

get home to cincinnati. >> i think i missed my flight. >> reporter: after a family holiday, she and her husband spent three days stuck in madrid because of the blizzard. by tuesday, they had to split up. he got the last seat on a flight to newark where he slept on the floor. she found a standby to chicago. >> i don't even know where he is right now. >> reporter: such trials drove some travelers to tears. in new york, newlyweds carlo and laura chinkae headed to a honeymoon in caracas got the run-around at all three airports. at laguardia, their american airlines flight was canceled again. >> it's a mess. it's a mess all around. >> reporter: at the miami airport, brett klasko, stranded since monday, had to buy a first-class ticket to get home to new york. the extra costs adding up. >> probably close to $2,000 out of pocket on this little travel nightmare. >> it's all over. >> reporter: by now, melissa was at last home in cincinnati. reuniting with her tired husband four days later than they'd planned. >> we're just happy to get on any flights and get back home. >> reporter: we caught up with those honeymooners headed to caracas.

they only made it as far as toronto. like so many other frustrated travelers, their ordeal is not quite over. chris bury, abc news, chicago. how about this timing. thousands of snow blowers are now being recalled due to a dangerous defect. american honda says more than 18,000 snowblowers could be at risk of fire. they were sold at honda power equipment dealers nationwide from april 2005 until last month. after 90 complaints about leaky fuel, honda now telling customers to stop using the snowblowers immediately and call a dealer for free repairs. we are learning this morning that the sugarloaf ski resort in maine was actually shutting down a chair lift when it fell. five chairs fell to the ground this week. it was a 30-foot drop for some of those skiers. three victims are still in the hospital. winds were gusting 40 to 50 miles an hour when the cable jumped its track. the operators were trying to realign the cable when the lift gave way. crews in suburban detroit

pulled two bodies from a furniture store that blew up. a woman's body was recovered from the rubble late last night. a man's body was found earlier. investigators believe a natural gas explosion leveled the building. because of the blast, a state of investigation of emergency actually was declared in the town of wayne, michigan. failed u.s. senate candidate christine o'donnell is now under criminal investigation for misusing campaign funds. the delaware republican and tea party favorite is accused of using the cash for personal expenses, including some meals as well as rent payments. she set a delaware campaign record when she raised more than $7 million. o'donnell though is denying the allegations and says the obama administration is behind it all. let's turn to a real victory for victor the chihuahua. >> the five-pound dog was found november the 1st with an arrow sticking out of its side. sheriff's deputies in iowa are still looking for anyone responsible for shooting victor. >> vets removed the

smooth-pointed arrow and the staff of the animal shelter nursed him back to health. the story gets even better because someone just adopted victor. so a new home. >> that's good news. i wonder who would be so cruel to kind of shoot the arrow. >> i don't know. >> sad someone would do that. >> a donor paid for the dog's medical expenses which are quite a bit. if anybody has a pet -- >> it's a lot. could be thousands. >> emergency care for animals is very expensive. no information about exactly who victor went to this morning. so we don't know. we can only assume that it's a nice, loving family. >> more after this, stay with us. girl lashblast fusion. a mascara for lashes that want it all... all at once. our biggest brush meets our fierstretch formula

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welcome back, everybody. imagine moving into a brand new home that's not only cheap but energy efficient as well.

sounds like a pretty good deal. >> but what you're leaving out is the home is made completely of junk. they're called earth ships and they're the latest eco-friendly trend. vicki mabrey shows us how they work. >> give me a little more dirt. >> reporter: out in the desert near taos, new mexico, they're building houses -- >> you hear that dull, firm thud? >> reporter: -- out of garbage. >> this is the most common tire for around here. 235, r-75, 15. >> reporter: using old tires packed with dirt, trashed appliances and discarded bottles, architect mike reynolds is turning our trash into solar-powered, self-sustaining, energy-efficient homes. >> it's a machine. not a house. and it's a machine that involves biology and physics to make it so that people can not need the municipal utilities. >> reporter: these earth ships as he calls them are off the grid wonders of physics.

angled south to catch the sun's rays through solar panels on the roof -- >> you just have to orient it right and admit the sun in the winter because it's low. and block it in the summer because it's high. >> reporter: no heat or air conditioning required. earth ships hover at about 70 degrees year-round. >> the total utility bill of this house would be $100 a year to run the propane for the cook stove. and that's $100 per year total. power, water, sewage. >> reporter: they're also built with a lot of sweat equity. starting with those tires. pounded full of dirt until they're strong as bricks. and how many of these per house? how many tires per house? >> a thousand. i could not dream up a better way to build. if somebody gave me $30 million to invent the best building block, i'd invent a tire. >> reporter: then they're stacked high and cemented with desert mud and aluminum cans to form walls. why the cans?

>> the cans create an irregular surface to put the next coat on. >> are you lacking any creature comforts? >> we have flat screen tv. ac and dc power. hot and cold running water. it's all there. it's all there for free. >> reporter: what they are lacking is adequate rainfall. but every single drop is collected in 3,000-gallon cisterns on the roof. more recycled garbage crowns the roof line. >> washers, dryers, ranges, refrigerators. we harvest all those baked-on enamel panels. >> these are all your 1970s avocado refrigerators. >> exactly. >> there they are. >> reporter: that $100 a year utility bill is a huge selling point for earth ships, which cost from $100,000 to $400,000 to build. this house, called the phoenix, is the most expensive earth ship, at $1.5 million. it's the model reynolds shows visitors who flock here from around the world.

the thorne family drove for four days in an rv from upstate new york. >> amazing. >> look at the artwork. >> reporter: tonight they're staying in the phoenix. >> i want to bring this back to the east coast. >> reporter: inside, the floor plan is pretty standard. living room, bedrooms, kitchen and baths, and what looks like stained glass. it hasn't been easy creating something so strange and revolutionary. but earth ships are landing from new mexico to the netherlands. even providing a useful way to recycle rubble in earthquake-ravaged haiti. >> we're addressing the garbage issue. we're addressing the water issue. we're addressing the energy issue. we're addressing the heat and cooling. we're addressing housing. and we're addressing food. all of the things that people need, we're addressing them. >> reporter: one earth ship at a time. this is vicki mabrey in taos, new mexico. >> that is a fascinating story. our producers brought up a very good point. who collects all the stuff it

takes to build an earth ship? i can't see joe blow going out to a landfill -- >> i see who's collecting. we've got to get to work. we look like the ghostbusters, actually. a dual purpose. >> if this tv thing doesn't work out, we look good out there. >> you know what else i wondered, the smell. right? >> i'm certain they clean the stuff off? but hey, man, i don't know. i love the concept -- >> men at work, buddy. say that right now. >> hardest-working men overnight. >> getting done with this, we've got to collect some garbage. >> we'll see. i'll build a bar. coming up next, criticism aimed at the nfl over brett favre's punishment. >> and who put a stop to snooki's new year's eve stunt s eve stunt t in "the skinny." and why, next in "the skinny." rl

welcome back, everybody. this definitely would be a water cooler topic around much of the country today. finally, we talked about this for weeks, the whole brett favre

situation. the nfl finally has done taken a step. they have fined the nfl quarterback $50,000 for simply failing to cooperate with the league's investigation into the scandal which involved those inappropriate texts and voice mails and photos, all that kind of stuff. they said at the end, though, they could not find any hard-core evidence that he violated the league's personal conduct policy based on the evidence that he had seen. he being the commissioner of the nfl. said look, there's just not enough here to say he definitely did this. $50,000 to him obviously is a happy meal to a normal person so the money's not the issue here. it's kind of the lack of any real substantive punishment, of course. it's all growing speculation whether brett will come back -- whether we've seen the end of his career -- >> i think he's pretty much done. >> it would seem like it. he doesn't like to bow out, i know that. again, the lawyer for jenn sterger, the girl you saw who he allegedly texted and sent the picture to, says today's decision is an affront to all females and says again despite tough talk the nfl remains the

good old boys' league. she's saying the league is kind of sexist for not coming down hard on brett favre. case closed as far as the nfl's concerned. >> bottom of the line for me, at the end of the day, roger goodell, the commissioner of the nfl, is getting a lot of heat for not acting on this sooner. this is 2 1/2 months in the making. a lot of other players have faced consequences for personal conduct issues. and that was the real story. the nfl has this conduct policy. whether or not you can put a black mark on the league. so anyway, a lot of people are angry with him. >> we'll see where it goes. something more relevant, though. >> something much more relevant. new year's eve tomorrow night. the big ball drop in times square here in new york. and snooki of "jersey shore" fame was planning to do her own -- >> not snooki the accountant. >> right, exactly. not to be confused. >> right, yeah. >> so, she wanted to be dropped in a glass ball in times square. that's fun. the new york times square

alliance who runs the official ball drop said, uh-uh, i don't think so. >> rained on the parade. >> they sort of slapped snooki with a condescending remark, it would not be appropriate, they said. >> this is tmz. >> crushed. >> tmz. it's not going to happen. >> my favorite "skinny" topic is kim kardashian. i had no idea about this. she is in the studio now trying to record a full studio album. >> of course she is. >> apparently working with kanye west on the new single from that album. it fuels the rumors they're together and all this, who knows. kim is in the studio. we're going to hear her singing chops soon enough. on top of all that the family empire's going to expand now. now her sister khloe, the most outspoken of the three girls. she and her nba husband, lamar odom, they're going to get their own reality show on. to original show and the spin-off. the kardashian empire just continues to expand here. >> tell you what, kim was very successful with her first video that we saw. so maybe her next video will be -- >> that was definitely an

oscar-winning performance. if your racing thoughts keep you awake...

sleep is here, on the wings of lunesta. and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep, so you can wake up feeling rested. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. get lunesta for a $0 co-pay at lunesta.com.

sleep well, on the wings of lunesta. here are some of the stories to watch today on abc news. alaskan election officials say they will certify lisa murkowski as winner of that state's senate race. murkowski won re-election in a historic write-in campaign. her tea party challenger joe miller says he'll decide tomorrow if he'll continue his legal challenge. new york's mayor promises all the streets will be plowed later this morning. of course following sunday's big blizzard, that's a big task. also in new york, transit fares went up at midnight during a week of widespread service complaints. and the latest report on unemployment claims is released this morning. analysts tell the "wall street journal" they predict a slight drop in the number of layoffs. and finally this half hour, new dads of course love capturing that magic moment in the delivery room, the very moment that a son or daughter is

literally welcomed into the world. >> some hospitals are putting an end to that tradition. and it's upsetting many parents. here's john donvan. >> reporter: the shiplers of maryland have put it all on videotape for all of their kids. snapshots too. with another baby coming january 13, their hospital just told them -- >> that we can't take that picture. we can't have those first initial seconds. >> reporter: it's true. hagerstown, maryland, meritus medical center. new rule. no photography until five minutes after birth. a change a spokesperson says is intended to protect patient privacy and reduce potential staff distractions. a turn back of the block for meritus. not quite to the "i love lucy" waiting room era where fathers were banned from even seeing what goes on. though dads have been participating since the early 1980s today limits on photography exist in hospitals across the nation. sure, from the staff's point of view who wants a lens on what can be a delicate and critical

procedure? in bad weather does an air traffic controller want passengers' families shooting over his shoulder? no. but some malpractice lawyers think the real issue is liability. if something goes wrong, hospitals don't want -- >> a piece of evidence generated used against them in a court of law. they do it to hide the truth. >> it's a beautiful moment i want to capture. >> reporter: yes, it can be. as we saw when many viewers today shared their kids' birth photos with us. in hagerstown, maryland, the rule stands. no cameras in the first minutes, meaning the only way to remember will be -- to remember. john donvan, abc news, washington. >> that's a tough debate. i understand that there's a -- look, this is a moment i want to capture, i'm a parent bringing life into the world. the other side of it is these are professionals at work delivering the baby and there's some things they don't want shown. >> i don't know. creating a life, delivering a life. i think you create a baby, y